Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Tom Keating
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Mobile Phones

Mobile Phones, cell phones

Samsung and Apple part ways

October 17, 2005

According to TMCnet, Samsung Electronics Co.'s talks with Apple Computer Inc. on a possible joint investment to produce NAND flash memory chips have broken down, Samsung said Monday.�  The Korea Times newspaper reported Monday that a potential 4 trillion won ($3.8 billion) joint investment deal collapsed because Apple decided to pull out after hearing that South Korea's Fair Trade Commission could investigate Samsung over its supply NAND flash memory chips to Apple.� Samsung is supplying the chips, used in MP3 players and digital cameras,� including the� new, pencil-thin iPod Nano music player.

So Apple, with this breakup, and with users underwhelmed with the current crop of iTunes phones, does this mean you plan on producing your own Apple iTunes phone anytime soon? C'mon, Apple, you know you want to!

Blackberry Connect on the Palm Treo 650

October 17, 2005

Walk this way, talk this way

October 14, 2005

A new technology developed by VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland can judge your walking gait and prevent a cellphone thief from making a phone call on your mobile phone. Walk this way, else you won't talk this way...

This feature prevents unauthorised use of other portable devices such as laptops or PDAs.

According to Reuters, a device is equipped with sensors that measure certain characteristics of the user's gait. When the device is used for the first time, these measurements are saved in its memory. In normal use the device continuously measures the user's gait and compares these measurements with the values in its memory.



Intellisync introduces mobile IM for Symbian phones

October 12, 2005

Intellisync, a leader in platform-independent wireless messaging and mobile sychronization software, emphasized its commitment to Symbian OS today, by announcing the availability of Intellisync Instant Messaging, a leading wireless corporate instant messaging (IM) solution for Symbian OS smartphone users, such as the new Nokia phones announced today. The solution is being demonstrated this week in booth # 18 at The Smartphone Show 2005 in the ExCeL Centre in London.

According to the Intellisync, "Symbian OS is the global industry standard operating system for smartphones, and is licensed to the world's leading handset manufacturers, which account for over 85 per cent of annual worldwide mobile phone sales. In the first half of 2005, more than 14.5 million Symbian OS-based mobile phones were sold worldwide to over 200 network operators, taking the installed base of Symbian OS phones to more than 39 million. According to IDC forecasts, by 2009, Symbian will control 59.4% of the worldwide converged mobile device market."

“We are very pleased that Intellisync is bringing its ‘always-on’ mobile IM solution to Symbian OS smartphones,” said Simon Garth, vice president, marketing, Symbian Ltd. “Intellisync’s secure and flexible IM solution adds an easy and efficient way of improving business user productivity both in, and away, from the office.”

Their news release states:





Intellisync IM, is a proven, integrated IM solution that provides an IM-on-PC-like experience for Symbian mobile device users, both in the familiar user interface and real-time exchange of IM as well as exchange of content such as pictures, appointments, documents, spreadsheets, vCards, etc.

Nokia E60, E61, and E70 launch

October 12, 2005

Nokia has launched a series of keyboard-enabled phones that have the "look and feel" of the popular BlackBerry devices. The Nokia E60, Nokia E61, and Nokia E70 are Nokia's first keyboard phones that have obviously borrowed a page from Research In Motion's Blackberry devices by offering a thumb keyboard.

The Nokia E61 is due out in the first quarter of 2006 and is the first phone based on Symbian, that features a thumb keyboard. The eSeries devices also include the push-to-talk walkie-talkie feature, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and infrared wireless connectivity, as well as USB 2.0. The phones feature color screens for viewing emails, plus attachments viewing and editing.

Linksys CIT200 Skype phone review

October 10, 2005

Linksys CIT 200 'Skype' Phone

Linksys has partnered with Skype to offer a cordless DECT 1.8-1.9Ghz phone complete with a backlit color display, backlit keyboard, and other features, called the Linksys CIT200 Cordless Internet Telephony Kit. The Linksys CIT200 is tightly integrated with Skype utilizing the Skype API for not just making and receiving calls but also accessing your Skype contacts and profiles. At some point today (Tuesday), Skype and Linksys will officially announce their partnership and the official launch of the Linksys CIT200.

A USB base station acts as the "go between" communicating with both the PC (running Skype) via USB and with the CIT200 using the DECT standard. Linksys gave me an exclusive first look at the Linksys CIT200 and I have to say the Linksys CIT200 is probably one of the coolest if not the coolest product that works in conjunction with Skype. One of the coolest features is that you can scroll through your Skype contacts using the Linksys CIT200's color display and you can see their current Skype presence (online, offline, etc.).

Movies from your phone

September 29, 2005

Fandango announced they will be rolling out an online and phone movie ticketing service in October. Fandango, will enable users of Web-enabled mobile phones and PDAs to access movie information and ticketing at mobile.fandango.com. Movie-goers can also text Fandango at short-code “FNDGO” (36346) for access to specific movie and theater information.
Future offerings will include location-based services, which will provide additional information (such as restaurant listings) to moviegoers based on their geography.

One other interesting application is that the mobile service will also provide "virtual movie tickets". It will display a barcode on your mobile wireless device which the movie theater employee will then scan to gain entry into the theater.


New Motorola mobile phones

September 27, 2005

Motorola today unveiled a new line of low-end mobile phones to meet the needs of mass market consumers around the world that can't afford expensive gadgety mobile phones. Motorola's new handsets, include the C118, C139, C168, C257, and C261. I guess they won't be running any VoIP clients such as Skype or have integrated GPS on these low-end, inexpensive mobile phones.

According to Techtree, "The GSMA estimates that despite 80 percent of the world's population having wireless access, only 25 percent are able to use it, with cost identified as the single biggest barrier to mobile communications usage in emerging markets. The partnership with Motorola will aim at extending the reach of mobile telephony and connecting the unconnected in countries such as India, South Africa,
Russia, Egypt, Philippines and Indonesia."

"Motorola is committed to delivering mobile communications to everyone.




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